If you were an early fan of Elvis Presley or Jerry Lee Lewis and you happened to read the labels on their hit records, you would have seen the name Otis Blackwell listed as the composer time after time.

Blackwell was born and raised in Brooklyn, and performed his own material at Harlem's Apollo Theater during weekly amateur contests.

In 1955, he sold six songs for $25 each. The titles included: 'Don't Be Cruel", 'All Shook Up", 'Return to Sender", and 'One Broken Heart For Sale"; each were big hits for Presley.

Blackwell wrote 'Great Balls of Fire" and 'Breathless" for Jerry Lee Lewis; 'Fever" for Peggy Lee; 'Hey Little Girl" for Dee Clark; 'Handy Man" for Jimmy Jones; and many other hits as well. He also wrote 'Daddy Rolling Stone" for the Who's second single.

Blackwell is a gifted composer and wealthy man who has written over 900 songs.